The use of Embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Cards (eUICCs), also referred to as Embedded Subscriber Identity Modules (eSIMs), is becoming increasingly prevalent in consumer and machine-to-machine (M2M) communication fields. Unlike a traditional UICC or SIM card that exists as a removable smart card that is transferrable between multiple devices, an eUICC is an integrated circuit that is not designed to be user removable, i.e., it is generally embedded with or soldered to other electronic components of a device.
An eUICC may be provisioned with one or more eSIM profiles, in which each eSIM profile contains a unique international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) number that authenticates a subscriber to a wireless communication carrier. Other data that are stored in the eSIM profile may include carrier network information, security authentication information, a list of accessible network services, and/or so forth. The wireless communication carrier may use a subscription management service to transfer an eSIM profile to the eUICC of a user device via a consumer device or a M2M device via an over-the-air (OTA) update. Consumer devices are network-capable devices that are generally marketed to individual consumers. For example, these devices may include a smartphone, a tablet computer, a smartwatch, a gaming console, and/or so forth. M2M devices are networked machines that use the telecommunication services provided by the wireless communication carrier to communicate with other networked machines. For example, a M2M monitoring device that is embedded on a vehicle may automatically send vehicle tracking and operation information to a remote support device at a control center. In another example, a M2M device in the form of a smart home appliance may automatically send diagnostic information to a monitoring device at a service center in case of device malfunction.
Additionally, the subscription management service may store a profile state for each eSIM profile in a profile state database maintained by the subscription management service. The profile states of the eSIM profiles are used by the wireless communication carrier to assign eSIM profiles to user devices, as well as control access of the user devices to the telecommunication services provided by the wireless communication carrier. For example, a profile state of “available” indicates that an eSIM profile is available for allocation by the subscription management service to a user device, while a profile state of “unavailable” indicates that the eSIM profile is not available for allocation to a user device by the subscription management service. The wireless communication carrier may occasionally prompt the subscription management service to update the profile states of the eSIM profiles that are stored in the profile state database of the subscription management service. For example, a profile state update of a profile state may be performed to prepare a corresponding eSIM profile for use by a user device. In another example, the profile state update may be performed to correct a profile state error caused by an initial incorrect profile state database entry or a previously failed profile state update. A profile state error may render a user device that is provisioned with the corresponding eSIM profile unable to use the telecommunication services of the wireless communication carrier.